Built, Not Born: The Innovative Growth Mindset with professor and author Caroline Levander (S10:Epi 274)
Release Date: 02/09/2026
Built, Not Born: The Innovative Growth Mindset with professor and author Caroline Levander (S10:Epi 274)
Sweet but Fearless Podcast
In this episode Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with professor and author Caroline Levander about what it really means to build and nurture a growth mindset in a world that demands innovation. They dive into why an innovative growth mindset isn’t something you’re born with, it’s something you build by learning through doing, experimenting, and being willing to get it wrong before you get it right. Caroline shares insights from her book Invent Ed, a much-needed contribution to the ecosystem of innovation, creativity, and higher education in America. This...
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Respond With Intention: Emotional Intelligence in Times of Change with Caroline Stokes (S10:Epi 273)
Sweet but Fearless Podcast
In this episode Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Caroline Stokes, leadership strategist, Fifth Industrial Revolution, for a grounded conversation about intentional learning, emotional intelligence, and navigating change at work with clarity. They explore how emotional intelligence can quietly influence your career, both positively and negatively, especially during moments of uncertainty or transition. Caroline introduces the four common responses to workplace shifts: flight, freeze, fight, and fawn, and explains why understanding your default reaction is key to...
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More Than Your Job Title: Personal Branding, LinkedIn Truths, and Career Evolution with Tameka Bazile(S10:Epi 272)
Sweet but Fearless Podcast
In this episode Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Tameka Bazile, content creator, entrepreneur, and a powerful voice on LinkedIn, where she shares raw, honest truths about social media as both a profession and a culture. Tameka challenges the idea that your identity stops at your 9–5 and reminds us that personal branding isn’t just for influencers, it’s essential for professionals navigating evolving careers. They talk about the importance of being open about what you actually want in your career, asking for opportunities instead of waiting to be discovered, and...
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The Brave Shift: How Mindset Shapes Your Day with Michele Kehrer, Author and Business Coach (S10:Epi 271)
Sweet but Fearless Podcast
In this episode Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Michele Kehrer, author and founder of Shift to Success, for a thoughtful conversation about overcoming adversity and the personal challenges we all face. Drawing from her book Brave Shift, Michele explores how mindset shapes the way our days unfold, how the thoughts we start with can either fuel overwhelm or create space for calm. Together, they talk about the importance of beginning each morning by identifying the one thing that truly matters that day. With never-ending to-do lists pulling at our attention, this...
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The One Question That Can Change Your Entire January (S10:Epi 270)
Sweet but Fearless Podcast
In this episode with Cooper Alexander and Mary Sullivan, co-founders of Sweet but Fearless, celebrate the start of a new year and creating a Rebuild Plan for the new year, one you can build in just 15 minutes and actually stick to. Cooper and Mary will take you through planning your January the RX3 way: Reflect → Research → Rebuild. No “new year, new me” pressure. No trying to change everything at once. Just a calmer, clearer way to move forward. Because most January plans don’t fail from lack of motivation, they fail from overload. Too many goals. Too much change. Not enough...
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Leadership Under Pressure with Julie Kay Roberts, President of JK Roberts (S9:Epi 269)
Sweet but Fearless Podcast
In this episode, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Julie Kay Roberts, President of JK Roberts and Founder of Emergency Management Association, about risk, self-advocacy, and knowing your worth. Julie shares the risks she took along the way and what it really looks like to stand up for yourself, ask for what you want, and speak with clarity even when it feels uncomfortable. The conversation also explores how leaders should think about AI in today’s workforce: not as a crutch, but as a tool, one that supports your work without replacing your voice or judgment. Drawing...
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What Did Your 2025 Teach You? (S9:Epi 268)
Sweet but Fearless Podcast
As the year comes to a close, Cooper Alexander and Mary Sullivan, co-founders of Sweet but Fearless, invite you to pause and reflect on what this past year really asked of you. What one pattern repeated itself and quietly ran the year. The one that drained your energy levels, delayed decisions, or kept things heavier than they needed to be. You’re not to judge yourself or the pattern but just recognize and understand it. Patterns form to protect us, but once we recognize them, we don’t have to keep living inside them. Mary and Cooper talk through patterns many women leaders see again and...
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Self-Care Is Survival: Dr. Marcia Harris, A Trailblazing OB-GYN on Wellness and Women’s Health (S9:Epi 267)
Sweet but Fearless Podcast
In this podcast, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with pioneering OB-GYN, Dr. Marcia Harris, Medical Director of Wellness Restoration Center, who shares her journey through healthcare as the first Black woman to train in obstetrics and gynecology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. She reflects on pursuing many interests with a “try it and see” mindset, honoring how far she’s come, and following her passion. They also discuss burnout, her shift toward wellness and restoration, and why self-care is survival, not selfishness. This conversation underscores the...
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Go Be You with Jennifer Kaplan, Owner, Evolve Public Relations and Marketing (S9:Epi 266)
Sweet but Fearless Podcast
In this podcast, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Jennifer Kaplan, Owner, Evolve Public Relations and Marketing, to explore what it really takes to follow your passion and why the journey often requires a few calculated risks along the way. Jennifer shares her unapologetic philosophy that fear is the real “F-word,” the one that keeps too many of us from stepping into what we truly love. Together, Mary and Jennifer dive into protecting your most expensive commodity, your time, and embracing the power of saying no without guilt. This episode is a reminder that the...
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Put Yourself Out There: DREAM with Diane Strand, CEO of JDS Studios (S9:Epi 265)
Sweet but Fearless Podcast
In this important conversation, Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with Diane Strand, CEO of JDS Studios, who has built her career on the belief that opportunities aren’t found, they’re created. Diane discusses her signature DREAM framework (Direction, Realization, Evaluation, Action, Momentum) and explains how clarity, consistency, and courage fuel lasting success. She encourages leaders to present themselves as the person they aspire to be, to show up even when it feels uncomfortable, and to fully embrace being seen and heard. A powerful conversation for anyone ready...
info_outlineIn this episode Mary Sullivan, co-founder of Sweet but Fearless, talks with professor and author Caroline Levander about what it really means to build and nurture a growth mindset in a world that demands innovation. They dive into why an innovative growth mindset isn’t something you’re born with, it’s something you build by learning through doing, experimenting, and being willing to get it wrong before you get it right.
Caroline shares insights from her book Invent Ed, a much-needed contribution to the ecosystem of innovation, creativity, and higher education in America. This conversation is a powerful reminder that progress comes from curiosity, courage, and the willingness to try. If you’re a frontline woman leader looking to stretch your thinking, expand what’s possible, and lead with creativity, this episode is for you.
ABOUT CAROLINE LEVANDER:
Website – Caroline Levander
LinkedIn – Caroline Levander
BOOK: Invent Ed: How an American Tradition of Innovation Can Transform College Today
Rice University - Caroline Levander
ABOUT SWEET BUT FEARLESS:
Website - Sweet but Fearless
LinkedIn - Sweet but Fearless